After we recently discovered that people have difficulty creating an Internet-based Counter Strike 1.6 Server we decided to help you by devising our own complete guide: This guide uses the new SteamCMD, a program that Valve released in 2013 as a replacement to HLDSUpdateTool.

Step 2: Go to My Computer, then to C:/ and create a new folder called HLDS.

Step 3: Extract steamcmd.zip, and copy steamcmd.exe to C:/HLDS. Right-click steamcmd.exe and click Run as Administrator and then click Yes. Wait for a few seconds as SteamCMD updates to the latest version available. (Tip: If SteamCMD opens, and crashes abruptly, Open Internet Explorer, click Tools and then click Internet Options. Navigate to the Connections tab and click Settings and check Automatically Detect Settings. Click Ok)

Step 4: Once the update is completed you will see “Steam>” in the last line in the command prompt window. Type “login anonymous” and hit the enter key. Once logged in, type “app_update 90 validate” and hit the enter key again. Wait for a few minutes as Counter Strike 1.6 Server files are downloaded from the Steam Servers. This should take about 15 – 40 minutes depending upon your Internet download speed.

Step 5: Steam has acknowledged that there is currently a bug with SteamCMD that causes it to report successful downloads even when the download has not been completed. You will notice that the download completed quickly, in the previous step. This indicates that the server did not download the files correctly. Therefore a workaround for this is to Close SteamCMD by typing “quit”, Download the following three files: app_manifest_10.acf, app_manifest_70.acf, app_manifest_90.acf and place them in “C:\HLDS\steamapps” and then repeat Step 4. It is recommended to quit SteamCMD once more and repeat Step 4 to ensure all files are completely downloaded.

Once downloaded, Right-click NonSteamAMXModXMetamodInstaller.exe and click Run as Administrator, and then click Yes. Click Browse and chose the cstrike folder for installation. In our case it will be “C:/HLDS/SteamApps/common/Half-Life/cstrike/” Click Install.

Step 7: Once the Server configuration files are installed, Go to “C:/HLDS/SteamApps/common/Half-Life/cstrike/” and open server.cfg and replace Server Name with any name, e.g: The Techno Geeks! CS Server. And Replace RCON Password with any password of your choice.

Step 8:CONGRATULATIONS!Server Installation Complete!

In order to switch on the server on, Right-click hlds.exe found in C:\HLDS\steamapps\common\Half-Life\ and choose Run as Administrator. Edit the Server Name and RCON Password (to match the one you set earlier in Step 5) and chose your map, click Start Server. On the first start, you will be asked to allow HLDS through the firewall, click Yes to ensure to HLDS is able to communicate on the network properly. (HLDS may suddenly close after this, simply open HLDS by double-clicking HLDS.exe, it will now function properly) (UPDATE: If your Server keeps on crashing, follow this tutorial for a fix: Counter Strike 1.6 SteamCMD Server Crash Fix [GUIDE])

The Server Configuration files automatically installed Amx Mod X 1.8.2 on your server. Amx Mod X is probably the best Server plugin out there that can help you manage maps, kick/slay/ban/gag players, pause/restart server, manage cvars and other useful elements right from the game.

Step 9: To Make the Server INTERNET BASED you will have to do Port Forwarding, which means you will have to forward the Server Port through your router to the Internet, Port-Forwarding varies with every router, so message the Router Model and Company of your router to our Facebook page (Visit our Facebook Page HERE) or our Google+ page (Visit our Google+ Page HERE) and I will help you out in no time! You can also use the comments section below.

Port you need to forward: 27015 (shown in Server Dashboard)

Protocol: UDP

IP Address: (Shown in Server Dashboard)

Step 10: Once you’ve port forwarded, it’s time to play with your friends, and this is exactly what you’ve been waiting for! Grab your Server’s IP address from Google and grab your Server Port from the Server Dashboard:

Hello, i have a problem : the external ip changes everyday and i have added my server to gametracker.com it shows that my server is Dead because the external ip changed what’s the solution do i have to add the server again everyday !? and renew the external ip so my friends can join again !?

Ps: your tutorial helped a lot and i have created my server successfully but still that problem , Tnx man :)

I’m glad to know my tutorial has helped you a lot and your server was created successfully.
Yes, adding the new IP to GameTracker and giving your new IP to your friends is a possible solution. Though a more permanent solution is to ask your ISP for a static IP, this will ensure your IP never changes.